The presentation Svetlana Sprūža gave when Cycling for libraries -unconference visited Valmiera Integrated Library (VIB) in early August 2012.

1. Valmiera Joint Library
Power of unity
in a changing world

2. Valmiera thinks and creates!

3. Area: 18,18 km²
Population: 26 674 Area : 2 373 km²
Population: ~ 60 111

4. Valmiera Joint Library
cooperation of two different types libraries
Valmiera Library of Vidzemes
University of Applied
Public Library Sciences
Legally and financially independent libraries
professionally collaborate by coordinating, merging and
rationally utilizing informative and personnel resources
to extend the offered services.

5. Libraries in Valmiera.
Prehistory
• February 1919 - People's library and
public reading room in City (Bachelor)
park building.
• Children`s literature department was
opened in 1951.
• Library of Vidzeme University College
was founded in 1996, at the same time
with the institution.

6. The first step to joint library
• Librarians came up with idea about joint-
use libraries based on experience of USA
and the Nordic countries.
• September, 1998 , the ViA Library and
the Study and Reference Department of
Valmiera Library moved to shared
premises.

7. Municipality support
• In 2000 , Valmiera City Council launched a
project of reconstruction of the premises
at Cēsu iela 4 with an aim to combine the
resources of all Valmiera libraries and to
create an integrated library.

8. Valmiera
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9. 2005-2007, reconstruction

10. 2007 – Valmiera Joint Library opening

11. Valmiera Joint Library today
• Family library
• Support and training for groups and
individuals.
• Colections of all Valmiera libraries in one
building, open access for all user groups
• Modern computer labs
• Quiet individual and group reading rooms
• Book storage

12. Library in 2011
• Users: 7 545,
• Visitors per day ~700
• Collection ~120 000 documents
• Annual Circulation of Items: 560 230
• Staff: 24+5

13. Policy of acquisition
• ViA Library major collections are developed for
the following study programmes:
• -Business Administration
• - Information Technologies
• - Communication and Public Relations
• - Media Studies and Journalism
• - Political Science
• - Tourism Organization and Management
• - Tour Guide
• - Translator
• - Socio-tehnical System Modelling
• - Business Environment Administration
• - Governance and Communication
• - Strategic Tourism Management
• Valmiera library – develop collection for all user
groups
• Result: more resources for all users

14. Library Training center
Constructed within Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
and the Latvian government co-financed Public
library development project Trešais tēva dēls.
Center works in two directions:
1) professional development of library staff in
Vidzeme region
2) promoting information skills and
information literacy of our customers

15. Methodological assistance
centre
• Valmiera library is the
methodic and
consulting centre for 28
Valmiera district
municipal public
libraries and for 30
school libraries

16. A national library system -Lightnet

17. Network of combined libraries
in the Nordic and Baltic countries

18. The Europe Direct information
network spans the whole EU

19. 2012
• On October 13 – Valmiera Joint Library
5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

20. Ingredients for Success
• Local government support
• Commitment from the highest levels of each organization
• Willingness to spend the time building knowledge of
each other’s issues and developing relationships
• Staff who are enthusiastic about the opportunities the
joint use facility presents and willing to make it work.